Love Me and Hate Me
by Kurisha
Summary: AU completely different from the actual Death Note world. Gender Swap. Age Manipulation. OOC. Ryuzaki is a girl with split personalities, Eru and Kira. She gets sent to live with her father in Japan and now has to adapt to the changes in her new life.
1. Prologue

This is my first fic so please don't be mad at me! w Please review and tell me what you think and what I need to improve. Critism is welcomed, suggestions loved. I'll take at least five reviews before I do the first chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, nor its characters. If I did I would be a happy kitsune.

* * *

**Prologue**

Ryuzaki's infant brother laid beneath the pillow, squirming and squealing for precious air; air she would not let him have. She couldn't stand him, crying and complaining whenever he needed something. Couldn't he get up and get whatever the hell it was on his own? Well, no, but that was beside the point; if all he would do was bawl, she wanted him _dead._

"C'mon, Near!" she hissed at the still living baby, "Suffocate already!"

_NO!_ a voice in the back of her head shrieked, causing her to release the pillow. Her midnight eyes went wide as her corrupted personality sacrificed its control of her and her usual one came to the surface. She sat back on her heels and stared at Near, still crying from her other's murder attempt, but still very much alive. Tears welled up in her eyes suddenly and she scooped her baby brother up in her arms, holding him closely and comfortingly. "I'm sorry. . .I'm so sorry. . ." She whimpered to him, the tears cascading over the dams of her eyelids, "I won't let her harm you again. . .I won't let 'Kira' harm you. . ."

She soothed him and calmed his whining till he fell asleep in her embrace. Rising to her feet slowly, she carried him to his nursery and laid him in his craddle, tucking him in snuggly. She gently broushed his white hair from his forehead and leaned down, giving him and affectionate, sisterly kiss on the brow. "I'm sorry," she murmured the apology again before turning and cutting out his light.

Leaving the room, Ryuzaki headed to her own room and shut the door behind her. She approached her bed and sat on it's edge as she opened a drawer, analyzing its contents. Her eyes fell on a silver pocket knife and a faint smile spread across her features.She grabbed it up and flipped it open, exposing the metallic blade that seemed to glisten in her bedroom's light. Cautiously, she traced her thin fingers along its edge, testing its sharpness. When it was apparent that the blade had not dulled in its time of being unused, she brushed it against her wrist, careful so as not to break her pale skin, and relished the shiver it sent up her arm.

But is wasn't enought, she wanted something more. She pressed the blade harder and rubbed it against her wrist quickly. It sliced her paper skin easily and dug into her flesh, sending a tingling feeling through out her forearm and a trickle of blood down her palm. Ryuzaki, however, dug deeper with the intent on making it hurt. She winced when sheer pain surged through her whole are and up to her shoulder, and sighted as one would at a lover's touch. Her eyes watched her life travel down her long fingers in crimson trails.

As if unstatisfied with this she cut herself a second time.

Then a third.

A fourth.

Fifth.

Sixth.

Incessantly, she attacked her wrists, ignoring the numbing feeling that erupted through out her body. Her vision began to blur and fuzz, and her ears rang but she didn't take the time to worry.

Nine.

Ten.

She deserved this-_Kira_ deserved it. Bleeding to death seemed fitting.

Twelve.

Thirteen.

Her door was opened. "Ryuzaki," came a woman's voice as she popped her head in, " How was-_Ryuzaki_!"

She heard her name shrieked and it made her ears ring more. The knife slid from her hand and she swayed a bit, her eyes turning a pale gray from the lack of blood in her system. "Mum?" was the only word she managed before falling back.

As her body began to shut down, she heard her mother speaking to someone. She couldn't hear her very well, but one word was clear, and that was "father." Then one last thought came to her as her eyes fell shut, _If you cut again, you'll be sent to Japan to live with your father._


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do note own Death Note. But if I did I would be so proud 'cause I'd have L!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

It was raining when she got off the plane and she slid her hood over her head, running for the airport door. The large glass entrance was inviting after her long flight as she neared and opened them. The airport's warm air englufed her but she dared not shrug out of her jacket, knowing that it wouldn't be long before she had to venture out into the cold rain once more.

"Ryuzaki!" her name was called by a voice she hadn't heard in years but easily recognized.

Her midnight eyes moved to a blonde man who stood about fifty paces to her right. She almost didn't recognize him at first with the scar on the left side of his face, though. But there was no denying his identity; he was Mihael, her father. As if reluctant, she turned in his direction and approached him.

When she was in range, he put his arms around her shoulders and held her close. To appease him, she embraced him back and spoke softlye, "Hello, father. How have you been these last ten years?"

"I've been making it," he replied as they released their embrace. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to claim her luggage. "And you?"

"Same as when you left," she said in her emotionless tone as if to clarify what she said as truth. But in her mind she knew it was a lie.

They talked as they gathered her luggage, their converstaion changing constantly. First they discussed the past, then she asked about her twin. She was intrigued about her sister's career and legal name change. After that she talked about her mother and her husband.

"Mum and Nathan had a son," she explained as they made their way into the rain, "His name is Nate, but we call him Near."

"Oh?"

"Yea, he seems to respond quicker to that nickname; it sometimes reminds her of you," Ryuzaki replied as they packer her stuff into the back of his car. She examined his face for a reaction before slipping into the passengers's seat and pressign on, "Y'know; how she used to call you Mello and you'd answer instantly. . ."

Her father grunted a reply, signaling that a change of subject was in order, and she obliged. "What school shall I be attending?"

"The same private academy as Misa."

"Ah," she replied, pulling her knees to her chest and glancing out her window. With nothing more to talk about, their chat fell silent and was replaced with the loud, constant rapping of the rain.

* * *

"Matt, this is my other daughter, Ryuzaki," her father said to a reddish-brown haired man as she entered the room and shrugged her damp jacket off. 

He glanced up from a handheld game and nodded to her. "Hey, I'm Mail. But everyone just calls me Matt," he said to her, offering his hand.

Ryuzaki took it but was suddenly taken aback when he drew her hand to his lips and placed a gentleman's kiss on the back of it. "Nice. . .meeting you. . ." was her dumbfounded reply.

He released her and hand and turned back to his game. "Don't worry about that too much; it was just a friendly gesture," he said, sensing her slight discomfort as it slipped past her shield, then spoke to Mello, "I've already cleaned the spare room as you asked, so it's ready for use."

Her father nodded in reply and headed to the nerby stairs, with her luggage and she followed. He led her down the second floor hallway and to the third door on his lert. "This is your room," he said as he pushed the cracked-open door open with his foot and moved to allow her entry way.

The room was large, about teen feet wider thatn her room at her mother's, and already furnished. In the corner was a full chest-of-draws that came up to her waist and was about eight feet long with a full size mirror seated above it. The floor was carpeted and the walls were barren, but she could fix that.

"It's nice," she said as he put her stuff down, "But I'll make it more homey."

"Do with it as you please, just unpack; Supper's in an hour."

Ryuzaki nodded her reply and he left her alone, shutting the door. She sighed in relief, glad to be able to drop the act of being a daughter and be just 'Ryuzaki.'

She unpacked her clothes quickly, putting them in their rightful place before opening a suit case a little larger than the rest. Inside were framed posters of bands she like, movies she'd seen,a dn actors she'd die to be with-though, she tenede to hide that usual teenage craze. There were also pictures of her mom and baby brother with her step-fathere and her Grandpa Watari; and personal necessities, bathing essentials, and a small silver pocket knife-in case of 'Kira's' actions.

"Hopefully she stays hidden," she whispered to herself as she slipped the knife between the mattresses.

She put her posters and pictures up before putting her personal and bathing items away. When she haed everything the wag she wanted, she left her room and headed downstairs and stopped at the foot of them when she saw her sister sitting on the room's sofa.

"Misa-Misa?"

The blonde looked up at the sound of her name and suddenly smiled. "Call you back later," she said quickly into a cell phone before snapping it shut. She hopped up and almost bounced towares Ryuzaki as she crossed the room to the stairs. Pratically flining herself on her twin, she hugged her tightly and almost knocked her backwards against the stairs. "Ryuzaki! It's been _forever!_"

"Indeed it has."

Misa released her sister and grabbed her hand, leading her to the sofa. "Tell me about how you and mom are doing!" she said, excitement in her already bubbly voice, "And I want _details!_"

Ryuzaki told her, wathing all of her twin's facial expressions, and only stopped with her description to answer Misa's questions. But of everything she told her, Misa seemed most estatic to learn she had a half-brother and that their mother had fallen in love again. However, they had to put their conversation on hold for supper.

"Suimono, chawan mushi, and donburi-mono," Matt said as they entered the room and took their seats, "with taiyaki and kokoa for desert."

"Sounds goo," Mello replied with a smile as he reached over Matt's shoulder and took a bit of the chicken from his bowl, only to be pulled into a kiss roughly in Matt's attempt to get it back.

"Get a room, please, " Misa spoke, rolling her eyes at them and looking at her twin, "This is normal; see, daddy turned after Takada passed away."

She nodded, unfazed by the action and statement that prover her father was in a homosexual relationship, and fished around her soup with her chopsticks. Testingly, she plucked a piece of fish from it and popped it into her mouth. The taste of soy sause and sweet rice wine exploded over her tongue but she also detected a strong tast of sato also. _Mello must have told Matt I like sugar in everything,_ she thought as she started on the rest of her fish and vegtables.

When she was done, Matt took her dirty dishes for her and she felt a little bad. "I could have done it," she said, a bit of her emotion slipping into her voice, as he came back into the room. He just smiled at her and set a mug and a small saucer with a taiyaki infront of her. "Arigato. . .Matt. . ."

"You're quite welcome, Ryuzaki."

Ryuzaki nodded, having nothing more to say, and test the fish shaped waffle in front of her. Much like her meal, it was loaded with unssen sugar and the sweet bean jam was sweeter than it should have been, but she downed it with no complaints. She also drunk her hot chocolate in two gulps, the liquid warming her insides.

"Sumimasen," she said as she got up and bowed slightly. She carried the empty mug and saucer to the sink and washed them, putting ythem back in their respective places before going back to her room.

She shut the door and flopped back first on the bed, staring at the off-white ceiling. _So far things aren't bad,_ she thought, stretching out over the starry comfortor beneath her, _Maybe living here im Japan with Mello will be the best thing to evaporate Kira. . ._

Ryuzaki closed her eyes and let a smile appear on her face. To be rid of Ryuzaki Kira; it was a comforting thought, for her and Ryuzaki Eru.

* * *

This chapter has like. . .two words that need accent marks but I don't know how to make them. . .And I made Matt know how to make taiyaki because I remembered after the fact that it is only bought from a cart. Oh, and the next chapter is her first day at her new school. 

Here's a preview to another fic I'm working on:

_Something was out of place on their work place, but Raito could not place it. It wasn't L's stack of empty plates, and it sure as hell wasn't their computers. Maybe it was the book to his right? He glanced at the title and decided it had fit in quite well with the disarry of their desk. Then what the hell was it?_

_He glanced at L's side and noticed a mug of coffee. Yes, that wasnt unusal. The detective loved the stuff. Especially if it was saturated with precisely seven cubes of sugar. Personally, Raito liked his black; but that wasn't what caught his attention, it was what the mug was resting on._


	3. Chapter 2

WOO-HOO! Chapter TWO! YES! lol x3 I'm excited for this one! It's the longest chapter I've typed by about six hundred words! YAY!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note. If I did, no one would be allowed to have L but me. x3

* * *

There was a loud knocking on her door and she groaned, pulling the sheets over her head and rolling over. The knocking go louder and was followed by her father's voice, "Ryuzaki! Get up and ready for school!" 

Ryuzaki groaned again and rolled back over, throwing the covers off. She sat up and squinted at her clock, the bright red numbers reading five o'clock. "_What?_" she moaned, flopping back against her pillows, "I slept _two hours_ late!" _My productivity for today sooo dropped fifteen percent. . ._

She sighed and forced herself out of bed, turning on the lamp seated on her bedside table. Staring at the mirror directly across from her, she frowned at her reflection and threw a spare blanket over it. She gathered her stuff for a shower and left her room, heading for the bathroom down the hall.

"Good morning, Ryuzaki," greeted her twin when she walked past her.

"Morning, Misa-Misa," she replied drearily.

"When you get out, come to my room; I'll lend you a uniform."

Ryuzaki nodded in response before disappearing behind the clicking of the shut bathroom door. She put her stuff down on the counter and closed the dark blue shower curtain, turning on the hot water and a little cold. Her reflection in the counters mirror caught her eye adn she looked at her reflection for the second time that morning. The reflection was different from mere moments ago and a smile slipped to her lips; that was the Ryuzaki she liked seeing in the mirror.

She peeled her clothes off and got behind the dark curtain that would cut her off from the world for at least half an hour. She eased into the spray of hot water and sighed ath the relaxing heat cascading over her. For a few moments, she just stood there and let the water wash away the tension of the last week.

_C'mon Near! Suffocate already!_

She frowned at the sudden thought, the cause of the action that landed her with the man she despised a little for leaving her and her mother, and shook it off. The reminder wasn't needed and she didn't need it to make her bread down on the second day of her life in Japan; Mello'd probably put her in the looney bin. Not that it wasn't done before; her mother had done it, with Ryuzaki's consent of course, but it had done nothing for 'them.' She shook that thought off as well and concentrated on the soothing heat and bathing.

When she was done, Ryuzaki tied her towel around her frame and left the restroom for her twins room. When she arrived, the blonde was already dressed and extra bubbly. She wondered how she could be so airy so early, but she didn't ask.

"Here you go," Misa chirped with a smile, pushing a beige unifrom into the raven haired teen's lanky arms. "It's not really your color, but that's what we girls are stuck with."

"Thanks," she said with a nod before heading to her own room. She closed her door behind her and dropped the uniform on a chair. She flopped down on the disarry of sheets and comfort on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Time ticked by and she just laid there, unwilling to put on the uniform she'd just been given. She heaved a sigh and rolled onto her side before pushing herself up into a sitting position to read the clock; she had ten minutes to get downstairs.

Sulkingly, she made herself get dressed, putting on the plain colored uniform that marked her a prisoner of a school she didn't even know the name of. She uncovered the mirror and glanced at her new reflection, noting that Misa, very much indeed, had been right; beige was _so_ not her color. It should have been a darker color, but who was she to complain?

Downstairs she found her father reading the newspaper and her sister watching some sort of music program. Ryuzaki noted Matt was no where to be seen, and assumed he worked the early shift somewhere in the general area.

She took a seat next to her twin and watched the program for a few moments before realizing she didn't know any of the bands on it. Deciding it wasn't worth her attention, she drew her kneews to her chest, balancing herself on her toes, and stuck her thumb to the corner of her mouth. Ryuzaki pondered how much time was left till she had to head out with Misa, but it was interrupted by her father, "You can't sit like that in a skirt, Ryuzaki."

Ryuzaki blinked for a moment, dissecting the meaning of the statement before slightly flushing. She immeadiately sat on her knees and silently fumed her productivity would drop anouther forty percent, totaling in a fifty-five percent decrease. That wasn't a good thing for her, nor for her first day at school.

After what seemed like foreever (which was actually an hour), she and Misa departed. Ryuzaki silently sulked at the shoues on her feet and noted that her productivity would drop again, leaving her productivity rate at thirty-five percent. Meaning, her school day was going to be a complete and total _drag_. Unless the majority of the students were like Misa-ditsy; no offense to her sister, of course.

* * *

She blew a puff of air at her bangs as she listened to the bustle of students coming in-and-out of the office. The place was buzzing with so much chat and activity that Ryuzaki thought of it as more of a socializing institute rather than a learning environment. Just what she needed, another reason to be less productive. How generous of Mello to stick her in the place. But with nothing more to do, she watched everyone who walked past her and counted how many gave her a once-over then a double-take to be sure they'd seen her correctly. She counted forty and guessed they'd never seen a poorly endowed teenage woman with disshevled hair. Man, it must have been their lucky day!

"Yagami-San, would you mind showing a new student around today," she heard a voice from the room behind her say, "She just transferred from Winchester to your class."

"I'd be glad to assisst her," came another voice, light but still very masculine. Ryuzaki liked this voice. Maybe it's owner wouldn't give her a weird look like everyone else. Speaking of it's owner, when he emerged she could have _died._ The owner of the voice had neatly kept auburn hair and light caramel colored eyes. He smiled at Ryuzaki with the most perfect, beauteous, pretty-boy smile. "Hello," he spoke in that fair yet virile voice; but now that there wasn't a wall between them, it sounded almost mystifying.

"H-hello," she stammered in a dazed manner.

The auburn haired teen chuckled and she felt her heart skip a beat. Unused to the feeling, Ryuzaki quickly repressed it before she could experience any emotion that accompanied it. "I'm Yagami Raito; And may I assume that you are the transfer student?"

Ryuzaki was startled to hear the boy speak in perfect English but covered it with posthaste. "Indeed," she replied, "I am. Lawliet Ryuzaki, pleased to meet you, Yagami-San."

"Lawliet," he mused aloud before smiling at her once more, "Not quite sure what sort of surname that is; but Ryuzaki suits you. It's a comely name."

There was a flip in her chest but she suppressed it before it turned her heart into a drag racer. She didn't need to fall head-over-heels so quickly with a boy she'd just met. She didn't need to do what her mother had done, look what it had gotten her mother; hell.

"Well, Ryuzaki; May I call you by that?"

"Yes, of course."

"Ah, arigato. Shall we get to class, then, Ryuzaki?" he inquired of the pale female and offered her his right hand. Catiously, she took Raito's hand and allowed him to lead her into the very congested hallway.

The mismatched duo received maladroit glances from their fellow peers. Ryuzaki was a little anxious as she and her guide became the midpoint of everyone's attentiveness. Raito, on the other hand, seemed informal to the looks they earned and used to them. She suddenly felt envious of how lax he was under the eyes of these students who seemed ready to pounce and eat her for lunch. What a meal that would be; a meager body with more skin and bone than meat on it.

* * *

Ryuzaki found her way to the roof at lunch and sat down on her knees with a book. she'd read the book at least a hundred times in the last six months and couldn't find a reason to put it down yet.

"What're you reading?" came a familiar voice that she'd quickly memorized.

"Well, aren't you curious, Raito-San," she replied as the named teen sat next to her.

"Raito-Kun would be much more acceptable, Ryuzaki."

"Alright, Raito-_Kun_. It's a suspense novel."

"Oh?"

She told him the details and he listened intentively. When she finished, Raito frowned. "Well, that was a little. . .tasteless," he stated.

"How so?"

"There are too many plot holes. And the characters aren't very interesting. And that 'Z' character. . ."

"What about Z?"

"He sounds suspiciously familiar, but I can't place my finger on it," he mused aloud, "Ah well, better luck remembering later. But what's your take on that book?"

"It's sad really," Ryuzaki stated, "What happens in the book. He tries to make the world perfect by doing one of the most corrupt actions there is; he betrayed the only person that trusted him-yet didn't-then, in the end, his efforts meant _nothing_, just costed him his life."

"That sounds a bit dramatic."

Ryuzaki stared at him and explained, "I tend to do that when I really enjoy something, overly dramatized things, Raito-Kun; It helps me to enjoy fully fine literature such as 'Murder Book' here." She motioned to the thick, leather bound book in her hands and smiled appreciatively at her favorite novel.

"You said that Masato character died; how did he?"

"That, Raito-Kun, you would have to read to find out," she told him as she stood up, "But off the subject of death in literature; am I right in assuming that lunch is almost over?"

The still seated teen glanced down at his watch before joing the standing female on his feet. "You have a remarkable sense of timing, don't you, Ryuzaki?"

"One must; if they plan to do everything in a precise succession."

"So, you're saying that in order to do all that is necessary, in the correct sequence, for that day, you have to know when one task ends and another starts?"

"No; it's not that confusing nor complicated, Raito-Kun; it's just simple. Basicly, your internal clock."

"Ah, understood."

The pair made their way to class and discussed the novel. Raito pointed out more reasons as to why her summary on the book made it seem bland and Ryuzaki put the book in his hands, telling him to just read it. He made a face about it, making her laugh, and he grinned in such a way that it made Ryuzaki wonder if he was _flirting_. . .With her? She pushed that thought from her mind and reminded her imagination that they, in fact, had just met hours before and that Raito-Kun was just being friendly. Being friendly. It made her wonder if he wanted to be her friend. _Her_ friend. The thought was nice; it'd make him her _first_ friend. _Ever_. She took a mental note to ask him on Monday as they split up to go to their classes.

* * *

"Why's Raito-San hanging out with the new girl? She's not like _us_."

"She's not even his type."

Ryuzaki rolled her eyes at the comments that were beign spoke in front of her. Within four hours and two walks with the object of almost _every_ girl in school's attention, she'd become student-body enemy number one. Wow. Talk about her luck! Mello, low productivity, cumbersome glances, some predatory looks, and now hatred. Just great. Feed Kira's ego. She froze at the thought of Kira's ego growing. Her other was a malevolent part of her that, if allowed an inflated pride, would take over and force her and her second toher into the backseat. And that thought actually frightened Ryuzaki.

She pushed it from mind and put her head down as the girls were silenced by a physics allocution. Glad that they'd shut up, Ryuzaki allowed her mind to wonder to her sister. Where was her twin this period? Was her class more stimulating than the science of interactions between matter and energy (that Ryuzaki had been familiarized with by her Grandpa Watari at his prestigious school, Whammy's House, at eight and a half)? But she took into consideration that this was _Misa_ she was thinking about and that nothing stimulated her mind but boys, shopping, and flirting. She came to the conclusion that, where ever in the building she was, she most likely was sleeping. . .or daydreaming.

Ryuzaki pushed Misa from her mind and closed her eyes. So far she hated this school; it was a drag and she hadn't learned anything that she didn't already learn from her Grandpa Watari's school. Except that the person that _might _be her first friend was leader of the pack; and she was just an outsider getting more attention than the pack. Praobably a test to see if she was worthy enought to join; like the alpha male of a wolf pack tests strays that want in. Well, that was great; she'd either be eaten alive, thrown to the side, or inducted as one of their own. Or be made alpha female. She snorted at that and discarded the thought immediately as the bell that released the pack rang.

* * *

"How was your first day?" mello asked the raven haired teen as she reached across the table.

"Hm?" was all she said as she speared a small piman from a dish with her chopsticks.

"Your first day at school, how was it?"

Ryuzaki popped the sweet pepper into her mouth and mused over her answer. She could tell him it was a drag and the mangy bitches (ha, ha, that sounded like the book 'Blood and Chocolate' that she'd read a few weeks before coming to live with Mello) were ready to tear her to shreds over the attention the alpha male was giving her; but she thought better of it. "It was alright; I might have made a friend. I won't know till Monday."

Mello nodded, appeased by her answer, and she speared a dumpling. She was glad her father didn't inquire who her 'might be' friend was; he might have thrown a fit, telling her not to get friendly with boys. Then tell her about the birds and the bees (which she learned about at nine, thanks to her mother). Honestly, if he went into overprotective father mode for her, she would have to tell him it was to late to play his role as father towards her.

She finished her mean and excused herself, washing her dishes and putting them away. She went up to her room and closed her door behind herself. Falling back onto her bed, she sighed and stared at the ceiling. The feeling she'd repressed earlier tired to surface and she allowed it to. Her hear beat rapidly and she smiled at the fluttering in her chest. Crush at first site. What the hell was she? A character in a romance story?

* * *

Don't know when the next chapter will be, but I'll start it soon! And if you haven't checked out my other fiction, please look into it. It's called "L's Spawn of Kira." I need suggestions for it AND this one. 

EDIT: I went in and but lines in for breaks. It seems that when I do stuff for breaks, they take them out on me, which SUCKS. And, yes, 'Murder Book' is a cheesy rip off of Death Note. x3 I thought since it was an AU fic, I'd throw in the original story SOMEWHERE in it.

Please review. :3


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. I'm getting _somewhere_ with one of my fictions at least. "L's Spawn of Kira" is sooo not going anywhere; but it's more popular than this one, and this one has more to it. ;;

**Disclaimer:** Death Note is not mine. It belongs to Tsugumi Ohba.

* * *

Ryuzaki woke up around nine the next morning and stretched out under her comforter. The sun shone through her slate curtains and partially blinded her. She slosed her eyes again and sat up, shaking the effects of her sleep off before climbing out of her bed. Making her way to the door, she remembered it was Saturday-the start of her first weekend in Japan. _Maybe I should walk around town today. . ._she thought to herself as she ventured out into the hallway and downstairs. 

Upon arriving on the first floor, she noticed she was the only person up at the moment; which suited her fine. She entered the kitchen and soon found herself some breakfast of serearu and milk. She sat down quietly and ate her cereal in silence, musing how she should spend her day in town. By the time she'd finished her milk, she'd decided to shop a little and find a liabrary. She quickly washed her bowl and spoon, putting them away, and made her way back upstairs.

Once behind her closed bedroom door, she peeled her nightgown off and raided her closet. Ryuzaki pulled on a pair of skull leggings and baggy blue jeans with the thighs shredded. She pulled out her favorite sweater and threw it onto her bed before going to her drawer and getting a bra out. She put the constricting article on and pulled the black turtle neck on. It showed off her slight curves and clung loosely to her body. She loved it, though it sometimes made her wish she was more endowed than she actually was.

Ryuzaki got her wallet out her bedside table and slid it into her back pocket on her way back to her closet. She pulled out a pair of knee high boots, the only pair of shoes that she owned and wore without any complaints what-so-ever, and a pair of socks. She plopped down on her bed and pulled them on before pulling up her pancts legs. Putting the boots on, she laced them up and tied them loosely before snapping the studded straps at her ankles.

She went back downstairs and noted she was still the only person up then decided it was best to leave a note. Pulling a piece of paper out of a nearby notebook, she scribbled a note in chicken-scratch English then, thinking about if Matt found it first, in Japanese. Ryuzaki left it in plain view and picked up her cell phone from a nearby counter then decided to leave her number on the note. She jotted it down quickly before leaving.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Ryuzaki marveled at the buildings that towered over her head and noted that, though there was more to see, it didn't compare to Winchester, nor London for that matter. She also descried that it was much more crowded than tose tow cities as well and stayed out of the way of other pedestrians. Much like she did at school the day before, she recieved awkward glances from everyone that walked by her. Seriously, Ryuzaki found it irksome and discourteous to her person. . . and she felt like punching someone. But, honestly, couldn't she just walk out into a public setting and be accepted for her. . ._unique_ mien?

She came across a cafe and decided to stop in. Upon entering the building, Ryuzaki decided it was small but very quaint; much like the one she'd been a regular at back in WInchester. She noted the walls were a warm chocolate color and found it relaxing as she sat in the nearest winged back chair, sinking into the royal blue material of the chushion. The chair was comfortable and she wondered where she could get one for her room, except with a ruby or blood red colored cushion.

Ryuzaki looked around the cafe and noticed it had bookshelves along the furthest wall. There was a price guide posted next to them and she guessed it was also a miniture bookstore. Luck shined down on her it seemed. Go, Ryuzaki! She forced herself out of the chair and made her way to the shelves to examine the variety of books they had. Immediately, she had came across theree books she had not read before and gingerly plucked them off the shelf to read the backs.

"'A love story with a bite,' eh?" she quoted, musing over the vampire pun. A vampire romance. It quirked her interest and she had to know more about the Edward character mentioned on the back. With that, she decided to purchase the series and went to the front.

She put the books down on a glass counter and noticed a small menu on the cash register. She read through it as a cashier rung u her three books and added to her purchase. "I'll also get an iced mocha and a piece of strawberry cheesecake."

"And will that be in yen or pounds?" came a teasing virile voice from behind that made her heart beat quicker. She recognized _that_ voice.

Ryuzaki didn't reply and paid the cashier the amount owed before looking at the source of her racing pulse. "Hello, Raito-Kun," she said with a nod before slipping back to her small table with her purchase. When she sat down in the same chair as moments before, she chanced a glance at the counter in time to see the boy talking to the cashier. She willed her heart back to its normal pace and told it that was an irrational reaction to Raito's voice or presence; the school's alpha male didn't want _her._

_Yet,_ her Eru personality teased her in the back of her mind.

Ryuzaki scowled at her other and formed a mental block between her and Eru. She didn't need her irrational emotions to leak through, Eru being her weakest persona and everything. To further keep the thoughts at bay, she pulled out the first of her new books and opened it as she sipped her iced mocha. Within minutes, she was engrossed in the book and found that the main character was in a situation similar to hers; the difference being that Bella didn't have an infant brother nor a split personality that wanted him dead. Go figure, huh?

The whooshing sound of someone plopping onto a cushion next to her made Ryuzaki look up her book and to the sound's source. Her heart stopped beating and she stared at the auburn haired teen to her left, her holes for eyes wide in partial surprise.

"What brings you to my cafe?"

Ryuzaki composed herself and gave him a challengign smile. "I hardly think Raito-Kun owns an old-fashioned cafe as charming as this one," she stated.

Raito chuckled at the challenge and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. "Hardly, I'm just a regular," he replied then added as if bored, "So what brings you here?"

"I feel as if Raito-Kun has already asked me that particular question," she mused aloud as she used her receipt to mark her place in the book, "Does he wish to ask me another one?"

"As soon as Ryuzaki answers that one."

Ryuzaki drew her knees to her chest and placed her left hand on her chin. She mused over it a little then tilted her head to the side. "I thought I'd walk aroun town and then I came across this alluring little cafe," she stated, "So I decided to stop in. And why is Raito-Kun here, other than being a regular?"

It was Raito's turn to muse over an answer. He touched his index finger to his timple and closed his caramel eyes. After a moment a smile touched his lips and he looked at her. "I was actually on my way to the mall to meet my sister. See, she stayed with a friend last night," he explained, "But then I saw you and decided to follow."

She cocked her head back at this and stared at him with opaque eyes. "Now Raito-kun is talking to me. Is there any particular reason?"

"Friends can't talk?" he questioned the raven haired female to his right.

Ryuzaki stared at Raito for a moment then allowed a smile to touch her lips. "Oh, of course, Raito-Kun," she replied, "I am glad to know that you consider me a friend; that makes you my first friend ever."

"Oh, really?" Raito asked, surprised. Ryuzaki nodded and took a bite of her cake. "How come? You're an interesting person, Ryuzaki."

"My appearance for one thing, Raito-Kun. Humans are vain and looks are everything to most," Ryuzaki droned, eating another bite of the purchased cheesecake, "My habits also seems to repel others; that and I don't have a social bone in my body."

"Then assert yourself," he stated, making the raven haired girl look at him, "The more you assert yourself; the more friends you'll make. Socaial bone or not."

Ryuzaki chuckled lightly, a small smile touching her lips more noticably--very uncharacteristic for her. "You are a bit strange, Raito-Kun; I thought I was the only person who was strange."

"Then you _haven't_ met my ex," he grinned, "She was so possessive, she was strange."

"And who is Raito-Kun's ex?"

"Amane Misa."

"Hm. . .I'll admit my twin is a bit odd," she mused aloud as she finished her cake.

"You two are twins?" he asked in astonishment.

"Hai; I was born five minutes earlier than Misa-Misa, though," she explained, "And obviously we are not identical." Ryuzaki sipped her iced mocha before asking, "And what about Raito-Kun's sister?"

"Hm? Sayu? Ah, she's younger than me by three years, so she's only fifteen."

"Then Raito-Kun is eighteen," she mused.

"Yea; and you?"

"I will be eighteen on October thirth-first."

Raito chuckled at Ryuzaki and she puffed a cloud of air at her bangs, an annoyed look touching her features. "I'm surprised; you're almost a year younger than me," he stated, "I thought you were older than me."

Ryuzaki's bottom lip wanted to stick out in a childish pout but she controlled the urge and gave Raito a smirk. "Do I really look older than I am?" she asked, acid slipping into her voice unintentionally. Her tone took her friend by surprise and Ryuzaki realized her Kira persona was trying to slip free. She shook her head and gave the male teen a weak smile. "I'm sorry about that, Raito-Kun; I almost forgot who I was talking to," she lied perfectly. She wasn't going to tell him she suffered split personalities and that her aggressive persona was trying to threaten him.

Raito just nodded in response and she busied herself with the rest of her drink. When she finished it she sat it on the plastic plate that had belonged to her single piece of eaten cake and fiddled with with the straw. She glanced at a nearby clock and looked at Raito. "Have you forgotten about. . .Sayu was it?" she asked politely.

"Oh, right," he weakly smiled at her as he stood up. "I actually had forgotten her." He gave a laugh before asking her, "Would you like to meet her, Ryuzaki?"

Ryuzaki blinked at him. Did she want to meet his sister. Was he _serious?_ "Um. . .No; I'm fine, Raito-kun."

"Ah come on. It's not like I asked you to meet my _parents_, Ryuzaki."

He made a point. There was nothing serious about meeting his sister. "Alright then," she said as she got to her feet, "I'll go with you to get her."

Raito grinned at her change of decision and she wondered if he _liked_ her, like Eru had tried to convince her of earlier. She pushed the thought from mind and gathered her books. _He just likes being in your company, Ryuzaki,_ she told herself in a strict manner as she walked beside him out of the cafe,_ So don't work yourself or your persona's up._

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"Raito! You're late!" huffed a dark brown haired girl. Ryuzaki noted that the girl wore pigtails similar to Misa's. The girl caught the sight of the raven haired teen and gave Raito a sly smirk. "This you _girlfriend,_ Raito?"

He chuckled at the girl. "Iie, Sayu. This is a new friend of mine; she's new here," he explained to his younger sister.

"Oh! Gomennasai!" Sayu quickly apologized with a slight bow, "I'm Yagami Say. And you?"

She returned the bow. "Lawliet Ryuzaki."

"Ryuzaki. . .Well, it's nice to meet you, Ryuzaki!" she chirped with a smile.

"Same to you. . ."

Raito put a hand on the girl's shoulder and she looked at him. "How about we look around before heading home, hm?"

"Like a _date?_ But there's only supposed to be _two_ people on a date, Raito!"

Ryuzaki laughed uncharacteristicly loud at that and smiled at the younger female. "Sayu-Chan, it's not a date," she explained, "It's a brother-sister outing."

Sayu frowned at her. "You're not comming with us. . .?" she asked.

"Gomennasai, Sayu-Chan," Ryuzaki answered gently, "I do not want to impose on your time with Raito-kun."

"But. . ."

"Come on, Ryuzaki," Raito urged the older female, "You need to cut loose, and it is pretty obvious Sayu wants you to be friends with her. . ."

She mused over the idea of looking around the mall with the pair of Yagamis. However, before she could decide, she was being pulled along by Raito. Ryuzaki noted that his grip was robust and firm, yet at the same time gentle. His hand, she noticed as well, was warm against her cold one and she slightly smiled; she liked the feel of his touch. "I guess we're a crowd no, Raito-Kun. . ."

"Rather it be a company?" Raito teased in reply over his shoulder.

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"They're beautiful," Sayu said, staring at a set of bracelets on a shelf.

Ryuzaki looked over from where she stood and glanced at the jewelry that had caught the female Yagami's attention. Mentally, she agreed with the younger girl; they were beautiful. "Do you want them, Sayu-Chan?" she asked the girl.

The girl looked up at Ryuzaki with large, bright eyes."Yes," she answered.

She nodded at her and plucked the package of the shelf but the girl shook her head. Ryuzaki blinked her racoon eyes and cocked her head awkwardly to the side. "I thought Sayu-Chan wanted them. . ."

"I do; but you don't have to _pay_ for them."

"How about this; I buy them for myself and _give_ you one?"

Ryuzaki watched Sayu ponder this and was satisfied when the younger female gave in. She turned to Raito who stood back quietly, thumbing through a manga he had picked up, and asked, "Is there something Raito-Kun wants?"

The caramel eyed boy looked up from the object of his attention and shook his head. "No, Ryuzaki; I'm fine," he replied with a small smile, "But thanks for the offer."

She 'mm-hmed' at the male Yagami and gently tugged the manga from his slender fingers and tucked it under her arm. Raito blinked at her confusedly and she turned away from him. "Raito-Kun seemed to be very interested in this book," she droned, ignoring a sudden protest from the afore mentioned teen, "And since I offered, I'll purchase it for him."

Raito tried to protest further with the older female but she ignored him and started conversating with Sayu about Ryuga Hideki. As the pair of females made their way to a check-out line, the ignored Yagami sighed in utter defeat and followed his female companions.

Ryuzaki paid for the items and pulled out the braclets, handing Raito the bag in which the manga still remained. She worked them loose and asked Sayu for her hand. When the younger female teen held out her hand, she snapped it around her slim wrist and slightly smiled for a brief second. "It looks good on Sayu-Chan," she commented.

At noon, Ryuzaki paid for lunch, disregarding the Yagami pair's protest, and the trio ate their nigiri-zushi in silence at a table by the window. Ryuzaki finished before her company and glanced out the window, finding the lunch's silence to be unmangeable, even for her own love of silence. Maybe she shouldn't have bought lunch, then it wouldn't have be so awkward. But it was the friendly thing to do, wasn't it?

A light, Japanese tune soon broke the silence and Ryuzaki's opalescent eyes focused on Ratio. She watched him pull a phone out his shirt pocket and glance down at the number. He got up and excused himself form the table, her eye's and Sayu's following him out the door. When he was outside, they peered out the window and watched him intently.

"I wonder who it is," Sayu hummed aloud and Ryuzaki glanced at the girl. She noticed and explained, "You probably noticed yesterday, but Raito's really popular; especially with the girls."

"I noticed."

The male Yagami soon returned and slid back into his seat next to Sayu. "That was our father," he stated when he recieved curious looks from the pair of females, "He was wondering why we hadn't made it home yet."

"But it's only a quarter afternoon!" Sayu replied.

Raito looked at his sister and smiled. "I told him we were with a friend," he said, "He said it was fine; as long as we're home before three." He looked at the raven haired teen and added, "If Ryuzaki wants to hang out a little longer that is."

Ryuzaki mused over it. No one had called to ask her where she was, so they must have gotten her little note and thought it was alright. Having decided, she nodded and Sayu squealed in delight, leaning half her body ove the table and hugging the older female.

They finished their meal and left the small restaurant. As they decided what to do, Ryuzaki's phone vibrated against her him and she gingerly pulled it from her pocket. She glanced at the number and flipped it open, holding it to her ear between her forefinger and thumb. Immediately, her ear met a barrage of questions and had to hold it away from her head. Ryuzaki rolled her eyes mockingly at her father's worried interrogation. She'd left a note explaining what she was going to be doing and where she would be. Wasn't that good enough for Mello? Or had he not seen the note?

Not bothering to answer her father, she snapped the metallic ebony device shut. "I'm sorry about that Raito-Kun, Say-Chan," Ryuzaki quickly apologized, "But I'll have to cancel."

Sayu huffed and her cheeks puffed out in an irritated pout.

"At least drop by our place and get your book, Ryuzaki."

She stared at her auburn haired friend. Stop by his house? The suggestion made her feel a bit wary. Was that something always asked of a friend? She wasn't sure and politely declined the offer.

The Yagamis' didn't try to persuade her and they said their good-byes. Ryuzaki felt bad fro turning them down, but she wasn't very confident of their friendship yet.

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Ryuzaki walked right past her father who glared down at her with narrowed, suspicous eyes and went straight up the stairs. She shut her bedroom door and put her purchases on her bedside table befroe dropping face first on her bed. The light faded as she closed her eyes and buried her face into her pillow. Mello had ruined her afternoon. Just _grand._ What did he think she was doing? Imitating a King's Cross bawd? As if. She _so_ wouldn't do that; it was more Misa-esque. . .well, make-up wise anyway.

She decided she would just have to apologize to Raito again on Monday and make it up to him and Sayu somehow, then smiled. Monday couldn't come quick enough for her and she couldn't wait to see Raito.

* * *

**Honestly, this should have been posted about a few weeks ago. But if you saw the author's note from a few days ago, you know the story. But I'm proud to now have this chapter up and am sorry to say that this might honestly be the end of the story. Not fair, I know, but that's how life deals. Ideas come and go and this one just. . .bleh. :( And I didn't even get to the good parts. . .Mikami was supposed to make an appearance soon.**


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